Nelson Mandela’s Family Says He Is Healthy

Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Nelson Mandela’s family has released the first photo of the former South African president since he was released from a hospital late last year.

Mandela is pictured at home, smiling and holding one of his great-grandsons, one-year-old Zen. The picture was released as part of a promotional interview Mandela’s granddaughters, descendants of his marriage with ex-wife Winnie, gave ahead of their reality TV show, Being Mandela, set to launch in South Africa soon.

Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway, one of Mandela’s granddaughters starring in the show, said in a television interview that her grandfather has been recovering at home.

“He is doing very well. I mean, you see a picture of him there with Zen last week and he is doing very well,” she said.

“We have to capture this moment for Zen when he grows up. Obviously my grandfather is the oldest one and [Zen] is one year old. And we wanted to take this photo to show the world that he is O.K. You know? He’s fine, he’s healthy and he’s happy and he’s surrounded by family,” Dlamini-Manaway said.

Mandela, 94, spent much of December in the hospital, where he was treated for a lung infection and gallstones. The Nobel Peace Prize winner is recovering in his village of Qunu.

The reality show being promoted by his granddaughters will show their lives as working professional women in their 30s in South Africa. The show will not feature Mandela.